I was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor [EN]: Chapter 422

‘Joker’ stood on the filming set. No, it was Kang Woo-jin. Actually, he wasn’t even the real ‘Joker’ yet. He was only wearing the costume that would be used for the actual filming; his face makeup and hair hadn’t been done yet.

Right now, Woo-jin was just standing there for a test before the main poster shoot.

However, veteran director Ahn Ga-bok, staring at Kang Woo-jin, who was under the intense gaze of hundreds of ‘Clown: Birth of a Villain’ staff and the wide-eyed cameras, thought,

‘To get goosebumps at this age, and it hasn’t even properly started yet.’

A strange, intense chill ran through him.

That chill contained many things: thrill, joy, emotion, and excitement. Of course, he had seen the costumes Woo-jin had prepared himself during the audition and screen test. But Kang Woo-jin wearing the officially completed ‘Joker’ costume felt different. It was like the rough edges had become clear.

And then,

‘That guy, the actor who used me as a stepping stone, is standing at the center of Hollywood.’

Despite the numerous processes and hardships, Woo-jin was now standing there as the lead actor, the focus of many Hollywood figures. It wasn’t that he hadn’t imagined this moment, but seeing it with his own eyes made director Ahn Ga-bok’s goosebumps rise endlessly.

The hundreds of foreign staff watching Kang Woo-jin felt similarly.

Though the feelings were different. While director Ahn Ga-bok felt thrill and emotion, the hundreds of staff were filled with admiration and awe. It wasn’t strange. Only a few had seen Woo-jin’s audition, and most of the people here were seeing him as ‘Joker’ for the first time.

A brief viewing time.

Director Ahn Ga-bok checked the real Kang Woo-jin and the one on the monitor alternately, while the hundreds of staff continued to watch Woo-jin, who stood calmly. Meanwhile, quite a few foreign staff tilted their heads at Kang Woo-jin’s remarkably composed demeanor.

‘He’s quite relaxed, not nervous at all?’

‘It’s not his first shoot, but it’s the first time the whole team has gathered, and he’s so comfortable. It’s like he’s been a Hollywood actor for decades.’

Even though he had no experience in Hollywood, his posture was unwavering. Extremely still. An atmosphere like a calm sea without a single wave.

However, this was a misunderstanding by everyone.

Kang Woo-jin was currently.

‘Wow— damn! What are those cameras?!’

He was quite excited. He was filled with extreme wonder.

‘That camera on that car is huge! Is it a tank??’

Honestly, he was more engrossed in sightseeing than filming right now. In fact, it had been like that since he arrived at this ‘Columbia Studio’ set. Although his expression didn’t change due to his intense concept, Kang Woo-jin had internally screamed at least 10 times by now.

The Hollywood filming set far exceeded his imagination.

First of all, the overall scale was absurd, and so were the hundreds of foreign staff, the unheard-of filming equipment, and the additional things installed on the set. After experiencing the trailer assigned to him today, Woo-jin almost involuntarily exclaimed out loud.

‘The quality was insane, damn, it was like a small hotel.’

Things that were hard to see in Korea were common here. Time melted away as he enjoyed the sights. Before he knew it, Kang Woo-jin was right before the poster shoot. Anyway, while Woo-jin was busy looking around, an old voice was heard.

“Let’s start with a test shot.”

It was director Ahn Ga-bok. It was a signal through a megaphone, so Kang Woo-jin quickly nodded. He had been briefed on the poster storyboard beforehand, and Woo-jin had done many poster shoots in his various works. Still, being in an unfamiliar environment with hundreds of foreigners in front of him.

‘Ugh, this is a bit awkward.’

Awkwardness rose.

But.

“Hi- cue.”

As soon as the shoot started, as if telling his embarrassment to go to hell, Kang Woo-jin, standing on the crosswalk, casually struck various poses. Running, walking, sweeping his hair back, spreading both arms wide and jumping, showing his middle finger straight ahead, tap-dancing, and many more.

For reference, the ‘Clown: Birth of a Villain’ poster was a solo shot of Kang Woo-jin.

All posters, starting from promotional ones, were planned to be like that. Other actors’ faces would be inserted into the posters for the release, but Kang Woo-jin would occupy the entire poster.

After several tens of minutes of test shooting, director Ahn Ga-bok seemed satisfied.

“Okay, let’s do the makeup.”

He gave the next instruction. Soon, Woo-jin left the filming zone, and the makeup team moved busily. It was time to transform into the real ‘Joker,’ not just the costume.

About an hour later?

While waiting and shooting additional insert cuts, director Ahn Ga-bok received a radio call. Kang Woo-jin’s makeup was complete. Answering to bring him over, director Ahn Ga-bok instructed the key staff to start the official poster shoot. Hundreds of staff moved in perfect order.

Soon.

-Swish.

Among the hundreds of foreigners, the real ‘Joker,’ no, Kang Woo-jin, appeared, making the sound of his shoes as he walked. Red jacket and pants, blue shirt, yellow vest, worn-out brown shoes. The costume was the same.

However, his face was 180 degrees different.

First, his wet, red hair. It was longer than Kang Woo-jin’s original hair. Long enough to cover his ears and reach his chin. But the hair was nothing.

“······”

Woo-jin’s face, which was full of indifference, was all white. And that wasn’t all. Two eyes with sharp, square shapes drawn on them. The color was black. Red dots were marked on his eyebrows and the tip of his nose.

Most impressive of all was his mouth.

Kang Woo-jin was smiling with his mouth stretched as if his lips were several times thicker. No, that was drawn on. His blood-red lips were intense. It wasn’t artificial but natural. It was the power of the Hollywood makeup team.

Soon, starting with director Ahn Ga-bok.

“······Huh-”

All the foreign staff were mesmerized by Kang Woo-jin. Regardless, Woo-jin nonchalantly stood in front of the numerous cameras, his wet red hair swaying. It was the same crosswalk he had been on earlier, but this time, he was the real ‘Joker.’

As Kang Woo-jin swept back his fallen hair.

-Swish.

He took out a cigarette from his jacket pocket and put it in his mouth. Then, after exhaling a long puff of smoke, he smiled with the cigarette in his mouth.

“Heu-”

His mouth stretched into a wide grin.

Instantly, all the movements of the hundreds of staff stopped.

Why?

Because of the pressure of the ‘Joker’ smiling right in front of them.

“······”

“······”

They were intimidated.

After that.

The shooting for ‘Clown: Birth of a Villain’ inserts, posters, and tests was wrapped up late in the afternoon. As soon as it was finished, Kang Woo-jin left, but the key staff, including director Ahn Ga-bok, gathered at ‘Columbia Studio’ for a final meeting.

Because tomorrow was the official start of filming.

At this time, Kang Woo-jin, in a van heading to the hotel, was looking at his phone. Photos handed over by the stylists were being displayed. It was the ‘Joker’ look from the poster shoot.

‘Wow— this is kind of awesome? Majestic.’

He was internally impressed, and so were all the team members.

“Oh! We should really post this look on Woo-jin oppa’s Instagram right away!!”

“I know! It would go crazy as soon as we post it! It’s a shame we can’t post it because of spoilers!”

“But isn’t the makeup amazing? It doesn’t look like Woo-jin oppa. It’s like the ‘Joker’ is real.”

“I agree. When oppa came out after finishing his makeup, I got goosebumps.”

“This look is going to be on posters and spread all over the world?? I’m really looking forward to it!”

Choi Sung-gun, with his ponytail, was also smiling with satisfaction as he looked at the photos. Well, it was a very understandable phenomenon. Kang Woo-jin himself had been quite startled when he saw his face after the makeup.

Of course, only internally.

‘What would my mom and dad say if they saw this?’

Not just his parents, but everyone who knew Kang Woo-jin would be shocked.

Meanwhile, many people in Hollywood were also moving, thinking about tomorrow. The higher-ups at ‘Columbia Studio,’ who had poured in a huge amount of money.

“Tomorrow, let’s all start by going to the ‘Clown: Birth of a Villain’ set.”

“It’s from the morning, right? Of course, we have to go and check. If we see Kang Woo-jin’s acting and his ‘Joker’ look, we’ll get a rough idea.”

“Hah— ‘Clown: Birth of a Villain’ has to be a success no matter what. I’m nervous.”

“Me too, but we have to see the beginning of the ‘Cinematic Universe’ with our own eyes.”

The Hollywood actors who had participated in the ‘Clown: Birth of a Villain’ script reading and witnessed Kang Woo-jin’s ‘moderate’ acting.

“You’re going to the ‘Clown: Birth of a Villain’ set tomorrow? It’s the first day of filming, so it’s commemorative, but there’s no filming, so is there a reason to go?”

“It’s not just me, many other actors said they’re going. I’m curious if what Kang Woo-jin showed during the reading was real or just bluffing?”

“I told you, it was just a kind of bravado to boost his confidence at the beginning. Of course, Kang Woo-jin’s acting during the script reading was great, but I can’t imagine anything more than that coming out.”

“It seems like everyone thinks similarly— but Chris and the director’s reactions bother me. In a way, Kang Woo-jin’s behavior was quite arrogant, but they accepted it without any fuss.”

In addition, the actors related to ‘Beast and Beauty,’ including Miley Cara, Joseph Felton, and the members of ‘John Persona.’

No, the whole of Hollywood was talking about Kang Woo-jin.

Whether it was negative or positive, each to their own taste.

Around this time, Kang Woo-jin.

-Plop.

Entered the subspace.

-[11/Scenario (Title: ‘Clown: Birth of a Villain’), EX+ Grade]

“I should read (experience) it a few times today before going to sleep.”

It was to increase the clarity of ‘Henry Gordon’ several times over.

The next day, the 11th.

It was pouring rain. The rain was so heavy that there were hardly any people on the streets. It was natural. On days like this, it was best to stay home and watch TV.

-Boom!

Thunder that made the ears ring mixed in. Thanks to that, there were few people, but a man walking on the sidewalk caught the eye. He was wearing a black hoodie and jeans. His face was not visible because he had the hood over his head.

However, the peculiar thing was.

-Thud, thud.

His gait was weak, his back and shoulders were hunched, and the overall atmosphere was strangely chilling. He was walking slowly even while being exposed to the heavy rain. That alone was strange.

The man stopped in front of a pizza place.

“······”

He looked up at the shabby sign. It was a sign that looked like it had been closed down. The man flinched. He took his hands out of his hoodie pockets and then put them back in. He took a step and then stopped. He turned around and then came back. He stared blankly at the sign again.

What was he doing?

His gestures and actions were full of agony and contemplation.

But in the end, the man.

-Swish.

Opened the old iron door of the pizza place, which looked like it would be reluctant to open. A strange creaking sound spread. Inside, the sound of people talking was loud. No, it was the sound of the TV. A fat man was sitting in front of the TV, chuckling. He held a beer in one hand. The man was startled and turned his head. A hooded man was standing there. Rainwater was dripping.

The fat man frowned.

“Hey, you! We’re not open today! Get lost!”

Another thunder rumbled.

-Boom!

At the same time, the fat man recognized who the hooded man was. He put down his beer bottle and slowly stood up.

“You— Henry? You’re Henry Gordon, right? Why are you here, you bastard.”

The fat man’s face, who had uttered the name Henry Gordon, instantly relaxed. It was because the tension that had risen had subsided. But the hooded man. That is, the man called Henry Gordon, didn’t move.

“······”

Right now, various emotions were swirling in his head. Contempt, oppression, discrimination, prejudice, scorn.

Ah— I don’t know, screw it.

The man with hunched shoulders, ‘Henry Gordon,’ fidgeted with his hands tucked into his hoodie pockets. The fat man tilted his head.

“What’s that?”

A strange laugh was heard from ‘Henry Gordon’s’ mouth.

“Hehehe.”

“???”

“A tragedy for you, a comedy for me.”

“What? What are you saying, you crazy bastard!”

The fat man shouted. ‘Henry Gordon’ shrugged his shoulders. It wasn’t because he was intimidated. It was because of the sense of liberation that was erupting from his core. He took something out of his hoodie pocket.

Something silver. It was a gun.

Then, in the pizza place.

“Hey! You!!”

A bizarre noise erupted. Beer bottles broke, chairs fell over, various objects spilled, something broke, and a gunshot, buried by the thunder, rang out.

-Bang, bang!

Someone’s heavy body crashed to the floor.

-Thud!!

Before he knew it, only ‘Henry Gordon’ was standing alone in the pizza place. He was panting. His face was white with flour. He looked down at the lump of meat sprawled on the floor.

Casually.

-Bang, bang, bang!

He shot a few more bullets into the lump of meat.

With a smile on his face.

“······Hehe.”

At that moment, a large camera slowly approached ‘Henry Gordon,’ or Kang Woo-jin.

-Swoosh.

His image was vividly captured on several monitors. And at least 200 foreigners were watching those monitors. Hollywood actors were also mixed in.

‘······Crazy.’

Everyone held their breath.